Conservation International-Ghana has donated twenty-two million cedis to the Western Regional House of Chiefs in Sekondi. The donation is to enable the House to start the implementation of some of the activities identified for action in the Accra Declaration on Bushmeat Crisis facing the nation. It was received by Kasapreko Kwame Bassayin III, president of the Western Regional House of Chiefs who thanked CI for such a noble initiative.

In his acceptance remarks, he reiterated the importance of traditional rulers in the management of wildlife resources in the country. He pointed out that the chiefs have vast experience in conserving our wildlife heritage.

The Country Director of CI-Ghana informed the chiefs that a survey conducted by CI has revealed that 98% of 110 totems linked to 132 paramountcies in the country are endangered. He therefore urged the chiefs to ensure the sustainability of our heritage by protecting the totems.

It will be recalled that in August this year, Conservation International-Ghana donated an amount of thirty million cedis to the Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs and twenty million cedis to the National House of Chiefs to promote biodiversity conservation activities in the country, particularly the conservation of totems.

On June 7, 2002, CI-Ghana also donated twenty million cedis to the Okyeman Environment Foundation in connection with the Okyeman Environment Week.

CI-Ghana is funding a workshop on the extinction of totems being organized by the National House of Chiefs in Kumasi on 28th November 2002. This is in furtherance of CI-Ghana/Nananom collaborative efforts towards the prevention of wildlife extinction in Ghana.